Alan Bullard's Dances for Wind Quintet were commissioned by the Marlborough Wind Quintet, and first performed by them in the Purcell Room in June 1983. It was subsequently taken up by the Vega Wind Quintet, who broadcast it on BBC Radio 3, and since then it has received numerous performances worldwide.

There are five movements:
1. Prelude – a study in changing rhythms
2. Pavane – a slow and gentle dance
3. Musette – a lively movement with a hint of the characteristic Musette drone, and with a dramatic and challenging oboe cadenza at the centre
4. Interlude – an expressive movement based on a motif which is shared by all the instruments in turn
5. Reel – an energetic dance, interrupted by two short fugato sections

This revised edition replaces the 1985 edition, originally published by Nova Music (NM308).